Bundesliga
Leon Goretzka: "Possibly in the best shape of my career"
Bayern Munich midfielder Leon Goretzka says he has scarcely been in better shape after taking his tally for the current campaign to five goals and six assists in the defending champions' 2-0 home win over Augsburg.
Goretzka, 25, replaced teenager Joshua Zirkee in the 70th minute at the Allianz Arena, before finishing off a quite brilliant passing move involving Serge Gnabry in added time.
The goal came just moments after Augsburg forward Florian Niederlechner had been denied an equaliser by the linesman's flag, as leaders Bayern extended their unbeaten run to 11 league matches and moved four points clear of the chasing pack.
"I'm currently in top shape, probably the best shape of my entire career," Goretzka told media afterwards. "Obviously I want to be starting games, but you have to respect the coach's decision.
"You have to make sure you stay in shape and continue to work on your game, and if the chance comes you have to take it."
Watch: Leon Goretzka finished a superb team goal in style against Augsburg
Goretzka has been doing that all season long. He scored one and set up another in Bayern's DFB Cup first-round win against third-tier Energie Cottbus, only to miss the first seven games of the league campaign with hamstring and ankle troubles.
The Germany international registered an assist on his second start since returning from injury in the Matchday 13 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, adding a goal and four further provisions to his tally across his next five outings.
He was also on target in the 6-0 drubbing of Red Star Belgrade in the UEFA Champions group stage, and scored six minutes after replacing Thomas Müller in the 6-0 league win at Hoffenheim, a week before following suit against Augsburg.
Goretzka is optimistic he will have the opportunity to add to his 13 competitive starts in the weeks ahead, if he can continue to fire.
"Sometimes you have to suffer, but I think it's my job to perform," he explained. "If I can do that, I'll have every chance of being in the starting line-up."
Goretzka is over halfway into his second season as a Bayern player following his summer 2018 move from Schalke. In five years with the Royal Blues, the Bochum academy product only hit the 30-game mark once, and never had a hand in more than 10 single-season league goals.
In his debut campaign at Bayern, he produced eight goals and five assists in 30 Bundesliga appearances, as well as one and two respectively in the DFB Cup, as the Bavarians claimed a domestic double.
Goretzka, whose current Bayern deal runs until summer 2022, is expected to be part of Joachim Löw's Germany squad at this summer's UEFA Euros.